Empathy

How often do we try to see things from someone else's perspective?  Do we do this often? Do we even try?  If we're honest with ourselves, we may be surprised by our answers.  I've been mulling this over the past few days and I think that one of the fears we have is that if we do this, if we really empathize, we will lose ourselves.  How can we be expected to give up our most cherished beliefs and practices?

To this question, I offer a simple reply: nobody is telling you to do this.  Empathizing may well take us to a new place, but it may also return us home - but not after some new perspectives, some additional knowledge, some real feeling.

Lent is a time to repent for the sin of a failure to empathize, which can be a form of narcissism.  And the narcissistic have no room for God in their lives, do they? Let's repent, let's be a bit more empathetic today.

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